Page 33 of Addicted in Blood
“He’s a friend I met through another House.He’s human with more degrees than I can remember.I once gave him a sample of my blood, and he was fascinated.But without having a sample from before the fertility rates dropped, it’s impossible to determine if there’s a factor in the blood that might be causing it.Even then, with the chemical makeup of our blood being so different…” He shrugged.“He made it sound like it would be a lifelong pursuit in understanding what makes us vampire.”
This was an area that Devon had been interested in as well.Was it a coincidence Hiram reached out to Devon, or did he know Devon had his own suspicions?She would need to call Sergi and get his take.
“Hiram’s cadre didn’t believe Devon was responsible.”
Noah started pacing back and forth, drinking gulps of coffee with each turn, stopping to refill when necessary.“Why would he be?They hadn’t spoken in years as far as I know.I was aware of the cadre recommendation.Hiram asked me, and I told him he was a fool for not reaching out sooner.”He stumbled and landed in a chair, his mug hitting the elegant dinette table.He bent over, holding his head.“I should have gone with him.”
“You would most likely be dead as well.”
“Is Devon really hooked on the Poppy?”
“He wasn’t the day of the murder.”
His laugh was bitter.“That just shows how corrupt the Council has become.”
“Why do you say that?”
“I called the Sentinel commander to see where they were in the investigation.Do you know what he told me?They’re waiting for the Council to issue the warrant.They’re not even bothering to investigate.”His voice had become shrill, and it took a moment before he calmed down.“Wouldn’t anyone sane find it odd that a vampire, who hadn’t touched the stuff in decades and had been sober hours before the meet, would take the Poppy just before meeting a Council member who was seeking help?”
She didn’t bother answering.They all knew there was something odd about the entire situation.Even with Devon’s censure, the Council knew he was well regarded among the Houses and shifters.
“Did Hiram give you any clue what he was meeting Devon about?”
“No.He didn’t want anyone in the Family to know.He was worried that just him knowing might bring retaliation to the Family.”He ran his hands back and forth over his black-as-night hair, and she understood why it had been so disheveled.“Thank you for sending security to the manor.Asher is asking several Family members to move in until this all blows over.”
“That’s what allies do.”
He barked out a laugh.“Yet it was the House Trelane who came, not Venizi.”
There wasn’t anything to say to that.“Maya shared your brother’s last journal with us.Other than seeing his gradual concern with his private meetings with Venizi, there’s no real lead to go on.”
“He was good at keeping secrets.Sometimes he’d leave cryptic notes, but I haven’t found any, and god knows I read that damn thing ten times after hearing the news.”
Simone sat back and sipped the cooling coffee that was surprisingly good.She hadn’t expected much from the visit, though it made her question again the Council’s decisive move against Devon.She’d suspected there weren’t any other investigations taking place.But why not?Had they simply gotten lazy over the decades, was the Sentinel commander not up to snuff, or was the Council truly corrupt?
One of her other suspicions came to mind that was worth a try.“There’s a vampire who seems to follow Venizi around as though he works for him, but I don’t think he’s part of the Family.”
Noah lifted his head, curiosity and maybe hope filling his jade-colored eyes.She wondered what color they glowed when the beast rose.“Do you have a name?”
“No.But your brother mentioned Venizi’s shadow.Do you know who that might be?”
“His shadow?”He considered it.“You mean his assassin?”
She shrugged.“The term has been used to mean many things.A cleaner, an assassin, a fixer.”
“Venizi has many followers that aren’t part of his family.Most of them half-breeds.”
“This one has an Eastern European accent.He’s large, six-foot-six or taller, with brown hair and a thick neck.”
He sneered.“You must mean Boris Gheata.”
The name rang a bell, but she couldn’t remember from where.“He’s close to Venizi?”
“He’s been at the manor a few times.When I was there, he never seemed to have an appointment, but Hiram always stopped everything to meet with him.I asked once who he was, and Hiram simply said he was one of Venizi’s business associates.”
“Maybe that’s all he is.”
He laughed.“Right.Okay, maybe so.But if I considered all the business associates Venizi has sent to Hiram’s door, he stands out.And if I was a Sentinel, he’s the first one I’d check out.”
